Transport tool for transporting a laboratory article

ABSTRACT

A transport tool for transporting a laboratory article using a pipette of a pipetting system, and having a plug-in sleeve at a top end, an article holder at a bottom end, and a connecting part which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder. The plug-in sleeve has a side sleeve wall and a bottom which surround an interior space of the plug-in sleeve having a cylindrical or conically tapering shape. The plug-in sleeve further has an upward-facing opening for receiving an end of a pipette of an automated pipetting system. The article holder has a holding element oriented downward away from the connecting part. The holding element having at least two elongated projections which has one or more snap hooks protruding outwards to hook under a storage opening of a pipette tip carrier.

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority of the Swiss patent applicationNo. CH 00274/14 filed on Feb. 26, 2014, the whole content thereof beingincorporated into the present application by explicit reference for anypurpose. Further, this patent application is a divisional application ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/628,788 filed on Feb. 23, 2015,which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,105,852 on Oct. 23, 2018, the wholecontent thereof being incorporated into the present patent applicationby explicit reference for any purpose.

RELATED FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to a transport tool for transporting a laboratoryarticle using a pipetting system for aspirating and dispensing liquids.

RELATED PRIOR ART

Pipetting systems for the automated processing of liquids are well knownfrom prior art. Thus, for example, such a pipetting system is built andsold by the present applicant under the trade name FREEDOM EVO®. Suchautomated pipetting systems generally comprise one or more pipettes foraspirating and dispensing liquids into and out of various samplecontainers.

The use, for example, of pipette tips made of metal, which form a fixedunit with the respective pipette, is known for the operation of suchpipetting systems. In particular, however, when working with liquidswhich contain biological materials, disposable pipette tips arepreferably used, which are automatically put on to the pipettes,discarded immediately after use using a discarding mechanism, anddisposed of in accordance with guidelines. In this manner, the risk ofcross contaminations, for example, after multiple pipetting procedures,can be significantly reduced. Such disposable pipette tips are generallyproduced in this case from a cost-effective and chemically inertplastic, to compensate for the increased consumption in comparison tothe fixed pipette tips. Disposable pipette tips are provided in specialcarriers as a standard feature. These carriers typically consist of acontinuous baseplate, which is penetrated by a plurality of storageopenings. A disposable pipette tip can be inserted from above into eachstorage opening and stored therein. Each pipette tip is held in thestorage opening using reinforcement struts (or another type ofwidening), which are arranged on the upper end of the pipette tip, sincethe bottom side of each strut is applied to the top side of the carrierbase. In this case, the storage openings are preferably arranged in aspecific grid (array). Arranging pipette tips in the carrier in a 12×8array is known, similarly to the number and arrangement of a 96-wellstandard microplate (SBS-Standard “Society for Biomolecular Screening”,published by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI/SBS1-2-3-4-2004)).

A disposable pipette tip is received in each case by a pipette, bypressing the receptacle end of a pipette into the interior of thedisposable pipette tip using a defined force. The opening of thedisposable pipette tips and the interior thereof are typicallydimensioned so that the pipette tip is held in a friction-locked mannerto form a seal on the end region or “cone” of the pipette.Alternatively, a sealing form fit or a cone having deformable O-ring canalso be provided for holding the pipette tip. To release the disposablepipette tip from the pipette of the pipetting system, a correspondingcounterforce is then exerted by means of a discarding mechanism on theupper collar region of the disposable pipette tip, so that it can bepushed off of the end region of the pipette and discarded.

If all disposable pipette tips of a pipette tip carrier have beenconsumed during operation, the empty pipette tip carrier must be removedby hand by the user and replaced with a full carrier. Alternatively,such an empty carrier can be grasped by a separate robot gripper of thepipetting system and deposited at a suitable position for disposal.

In this case, in automated laboratory devices such as the pipettingsystems discussed here, it is preferable for as many steps as possibleto be able to be carried out automatically, i.e., without the necessityof an intervention of a user. The use of a separate robot gripper hasthe danger, however, that the carrier will slip or even fall completelyout of the gripper jaws onto the work surface during the gripping.Therefore, a carrier for pipette tips is proposed in document DE 10 2009006 511, the frame of which has a waist or protruding gripping edges.Both promote form-fitted and secure gripping by a robot gripper andtherefore secure and precise positioning.

Nonetheless, a separate gripping arm is necessary for gripping andtransportation of the pipette tip carrier. In particular if multiplecarrier plates for pipette tips are stacked one on top of another forreasons of space, this can result in problems in the gripping precision,however. In addition, the presence of such a separate robot gripping armhas the result that additional space is required, and other robotic armsof the system have less movement clearance and are therefore restrictedin their usage capability.

A device for automatically carrying out immunoassays is known fromdocument EP 1 102 994 B1. It is proposed here that instead of a robotarm for moving microplates, for example, an integral clamp be used aspart of the pipetting mechanism itself. This integral clamp enables themovement of, for example, microplates between the various processingstations by the pipetting mechanism, but must be clamped in a specialreceptacle block, which was previously attached to a microplate to betransported or another disposable article to be transported. However,this means that all articles which are to be transported using theintegral clamp must firstly be equipped with the complementaryreceptacle block, so that an additional expenditure of costs and timearises.

Document US 2012/0291872 A1 is considered to be the closest prior artand discloses laboratory articles and liquid handling systems and also atransport tool for transporting a laboratory article using a pipette ofa pipetting system. This transport tool comprises:

-   a) a plug-in sleeve implemented to form a releasable plug connection    with a receptacle end of a pipette of the pipetting system, this    plug-in sleeve comprising an interior, a sleeve axis, and a    receptacle opening, through which receptacle opening the receptacle    end of a pipette of the pipetting system can be plugged into the    interior of the plug-in sleeve;-   b) an article holder, which comprises a holding axis and at least    one holding means, which is implemented to form a support connection    with a laboratory article, and-   c) a connecting part, which connects the at least one article holder    to the plug-in sleeve on its end opposite to the receptacle opening,    so that the holding axis of the at least one article holder and the    sleeve axis of the plug-in sleeve are arranged coaxially to one    another.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose an alternativetransport tool, using which, in a simple and space-saving manner,laboratory articles can be received, transported, and deposited ordiscarded from the work surface of a pipetting system or from deviceslocated on this work surface.

This object is achieved according to the features as herein disclosed,i.e. by proposing a transport tool for transporting a laboratory articleusing a pipette of a pipetting system. This transport tool comprises atleast: A transport tool for transporting a laboratory article using apipette of a pipetting system, the transport tool comprising:

-   -   a plug-in sleeve at a top end of the transport tool;    -   an article holder at a bottom end of the transport tool; and    -   a connecting part which connects the plug-in sleeve to the        article holder;        wherein the transport tool is vertically elongated along a        vertical axis;        wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises a side sleeve wall and a        bottom, wherein the side sleeve wall has an inner surface and an        outer surface, and wherein the side sleeve wall and the bottom        surround an interior space of the plug-in sleeve; wherein said        interior space of the plug-in sleeve has a shape selected from:        cylindrical and conically tapering;        wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises an upward-facing opening,        the upward-facing opening being positioned to receive an end of        a pipette of an automated pipetting system into the interior        space of the plug-in sleeve;        wherein the connecting part is positioned between the interior        space of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder, and said top        surface of the connecting part is located at a lower end of the        plug-in sleeve opposite the upward-facing opening; and        wherein the article holder comprises a holding element oriented        downward away from the connecting part, the holding element        comprising at least two elongated projections, said projections        comprise one or more snap hooks protruding outwards at an end of        the holding element and being positioned to hook under a storage        opening of a pipette tip carrier for connection with the pipette        tip carrier when the holding element is pushed into said storage        opening.

In addition, a method according to the invention is proposed fortransporting a pipette tip carrier using a pipette of an automatedpipetting system, the method comprising:

providing a transport tool as described above;

providing a pipette tip carrier comprising a storage opening;

providing an automated pipetting system comprising at least one pipette;

inserting the at least one pipette of the automated pipetting systeminto the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, with the at least onepipette reversibly engaging the plug-in sleeve;

inserting the holding element of the transport tool into the storageopening of the pipette tip carrier, and the holding element therebyengaging the pipette tip carrier, wherein said step of inserting theholding element of the transport tool into the storage opening of thepipette tip carrier comprises said one or more snap hooks hooking underthe storage opening of the pipette tip carrier, and the holding elementthereby engaging the pipette tip carrier;after said engaging of the at least one pipette with the plug-in sleeveof the transport tool, and after said engaging the holding element ofthe transport tool with the storage opening of the pipette tip carrier,moving the at least one pipette and thereby moving the pipette tipcarrier, with the transport tool linking the at least one pipette andthe pipette tip carrier.

Further features according to the invention result from the dependentclaims.

According to the invention, the article holder may alternativelycomprise a holding element which is oriented downward away from theconnecting part, the holding element being shaped for insertion into andfriction connection with a storage opening of a pipette tip carrier,said article holder comprises an outer side and at least two holdingelements, the holding elements being projections on the outer side ofthe article holder.

Accordingly, in an alternatively proposed method according to theinvention for transporting a pipette tip carrier using a pipette of anautomated pipetting system, the method comprises:

providing such an alternative transport tool with holding elements whichare projections on the outer side of the article holder;

providing a pipette tip carrier comprising a storage opening;

providing an automated pipetting system comprising at least one pipette;

inserting the at least one pipette of the automated pipetting systeminto the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, with the at least onepipette reversibly engaging the plug-in sleeve;

inserting the holding element of the transport tool into the storageopening of the pipette tip carrier, and the holding element therebyengaging the pipette tip carrier; after said engaging of the at leastone pipette with the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, and aftersaid engaging the holding element of the transport tool with the storageopening of the pipette tip carrier:moving the at least one pipette and thereby moving the pipette tipcarrier, with the transport tool linking the at least one pipette andthe pipette tip carrier.

Further features according to the invention result from the dependentclaims.

In the context of the present invention, the term “laboratory article”is preferably understood to mean pipette tip carriers, microplates,microplate covers, covers of reagent containers or reagent troughs,covers for covering dust-sensitive gels, and the like. Carriers formicroplates and holders (for example, so-called racks) for liquidcontainers, such as test tubes and the like, are also considered“laboratory articles”. The laboratory articles, which are preferablyproduced from plastic by means of injection molding for reasons of lowweight, good chemical resistance, and low production costs, preferablyhave openings (for example, storage openings for pipette tips in pipettetip carriers or wells of microplates), attached hollow cylinders, and/orflat, at least approximately horizontal surfaces. In the broadestmeaning, all objects made of plastic or light metals or the combinationsthereof, which are used in a pipetting system and have a total weight ofless than approximately 400 g, preferably less than 200 g, areconsidered to be “laboratory articles”.

In the context of the present invention, the term “devices” isunderstood to include, for example, devices for processing or studyingelectrophoresis gels and devices for precisely aligning microplates (forexample, so-called carriers), and also further devices for storing,processing, and analyzing samples.

The transport tool according to the invention provides the followingadvantages over the prior art:

-   -   The necessity of integrating an additional gripper arm in the        work region of the pipetting system for receiving and        transporting laboratory articles is dispensed with. Therefore,        more movement clearance in the work region of the pipetting        system can be calculated in for the remaining gripper arms,        which expands the geometry and duration of the usage options        thereof.    -   The movement of laboratory articles for disposal or other types        of repositioning can be carried out by means of the pipettes of        the pipetting system provided in any case; the transport tool        according to the invention functions in this case as a coupling        part between pipette and laboratory article. The pipette of the        pipetting system can thus itself be used as a gripper        replacement.    -   The transport tool according to the invention can also be        released again from the pipette using the already provided        discarding mechanism for pipette tips. The entire operation of        receiving a transport tool and a laboratory article up to        repositioning the transport tool with suspended laboratory        article and discarding or depositing a transport tool/laboratory        article combination at a predetermined location can thus be        performed completely automatically and therefore without        engagement or monitoring of a user.    -   If the transport tool is produced as a disposable article and is        also used as such, it does not have to be separated from the        laboratory article for reuse, but rather can be disposed of        together with the laboratory article.    -   If the laboratory article is an empty pipette tip carrier, for        example, it can thus be received, transported, and supplied to        disposal, after the use and disposal of the disposable pipette        tips, using the same pipette of the pipetting system, using        which the pipette tips were also received.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS

The present invention will be explained in greater detail hereafter bymeans of drawings which are appended to this application. The figures inthese drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the invention in thiscase, without restricting the scope thereof, since the individualelements thereof can be combined with one another as needed. There isshown in:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are overview drawings of a transport tool according to apreferred embodiment, wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a schematic front view, and

FIG. 1B shows a vertical cross section;

FIG. 2 vertical cross-sectional drawings in each case through atransport tool according to the present invention, through thereceptacle end of a pipette tip from the prior art, and through adisposable pipette tip from the prior art;

FIG. 3 a vertical cross section through a pipette tip carrier having:

two plugged-in disposable pipette tips from the prior art, wherein thereceptacle end of a pipette is already plugged in a friction-lockedmanner into one of these freely mounted pipette tips and a pipette isindicated for the second pipette tip, which is positioned above thispipette tip to be plugged in;

a transport tool, which is plugged in a friction-locked manner onto thereceptacle end of a pipette and is positioned to be plugged into a freestorage opening of the pipette tip carrier above this storage opening;and

a transport tool which is already plugged by means of a pipette into afree storage opening of the pipette tip carrier;

FIG. 4 a vertical cross section through a pipette tip carrier havingthree plugged-in transport tools, wherein each transport tool is shownwith different embodiments of its essential elements in each case;

FIG. 5 vertical cross-sectional drawings through two transport toolshaving two article holders in each case in alternative embodiments;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are overview drawings of the principle of discarding atransport tool, which is plugged onto a pipette, having plugged-on apipette tip carrier or a disposable pipette tip, using a discardingmechanism of the pipetting system, wherein:

FIG. 6A sketches the principle of discarding a transport tool, which isplugged onto a pipette, having pipette tip carrier or microplate bymeans of the discarding mechanism in two steps; and

FIG. 6B similarly thereto, sketches a pipette having plugged-ondisposable pipette tip and discarding mechanism;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are vertical sections through two transport tools, eachhaving an article holder implemented to form an adhesive bond, wherein:

FIG. 7A shows a first variant having a ring-shaped adhesive means; and

FIG. 7B shows a second variant having a circular or square adhesivemeans;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are vertical sections through two transport tools, eachhaving an article holder implemented to form a magnetic connection,wherein:

FIG. 8A shows a first variant having an integrated permanent magnet; and

FIG. 8B shows a second variant having a glued-on strip magnet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

FIG. 1A shows a simplified, schematic front view of a transport toolaccording to the present invention in a particularly preferredembodiment. This transport tool 1 is an oblong hollow body and isimplemented so that it can be plugged onto a receptacle end 19 of apipette 4 of a pipetting system 3 with its first end, which isimplemented as a plug-in sleeve, and additionally can be plugged into anopening 5 of a laboratory article, for example, into a storage opening5′ of a pipette tip carrier 2′ provided for disposable pipette tips 6,with its second end, which is implemented as an article holder 11. Thetransport tool additionally comprises a connecting part 25, whichconnects the plug-in sleeve 7 to the article holder 11. The plug-insleeve 7 comprises a sleeve axis 9, which corresponds to itslongitudinal axis. The article holder 11 comprises a holding axis 12,which defines the axis along which a support connection (a plugconnection here) is formed between the article holder 11 of thetransport tool 2 and a storage opening 5′ of the pipette tip carrier 2′(cf. also FIGS. 3, 4, 6A and 6B).

To plug the transport tool 1 onto the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4using its plug-in sleeve 7, this plug-in sleeve 7 comprises a receptacleopening 10, which opens into an interior 8. The interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7 is implemented in this case so that the transport tool1 can form a releasable plug connection with a plugged-in pipette 4 bymeans of the plug-in sleeve 7. For this purpose, a pipette 4 of apipetting system 3 is inserted with its receptacle end 19 through thereceptacle opening 10 into the interior 8 up to a predefined plungingdepth h′ (see FIGS. 2-4). If the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 iscorrectly adapted to the external dimensions of the receptacle end 19 ofthe pipette 4, the releasable plug connection is formed between theplug-in sleeve 7 and the pipette 4 as soon as the predefined plungingdepth is reached (see also FIGS. 3 and 4). The embodiment of theinterior 8 of the plug-in sleeve is selected in this case so that thetransport tool 1 can be plugged onto the same pipette 4 instead of adisposable pipette tip 6 and can also be discarded again, i.e., the samedevice settings of the pipetting system 3 can thus be used for receivingand discarding the transport tool 1 as were programmed and can be usedfor receiving and discarding a disposable pipette tip. It is thuspreferable that, for example, a specific pipette 4 is insertable by thesame plunging depth h (see FIGS. 2-4) and with the same force into aspecific disposable pipette tip 6 as into the transport tool 1 accordingto the invention, which essentially forms an equivalent releasable plugconnection with the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 in this case.

The term “receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4” is understood in conjunctionwith the present invention as the end region of a pipette 4 of apipetting system 3, which is provided to form the releasable plugconnection with a disposable pipette tip 6 or with a transport tool 1according to the present invention.

The term “releasable plug connection” is also understood in conjunctionwith the present invention as a preferably sealed connection between thereceptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 and a counterpart adapted thereto (forexample, a disposable pipette tip 6 or a transport tool 1 according tothe invention). Such a “releasable plug connection” results when the twoparts are moved into a defined position in relation to one another. Inaddition to a sealing function, such a releasable plug connection, whichis known with respect to disposable pipette tips per se from the priorart, additionally has a holding function. Thanks to this holdingfunction, in this case a plugged-on pipette tip continues to be held toform a seal on the receptacle end 19 of a pipette tip 4, even if thepipette 4 is moved back-and-forth by means of a robot mechanism betweenvarious X/Y/Z positions on the work area of the pipetting system 3.

It could actually be established in the case of a transport tool 1 whichis thus embodied that it can be received and discarded like a knowndisposable pipette tip 6 for a specific pipette type of a specificpipetting device 3, and that the sealing and holding force of thereleasable plug connection formed is sufficient to also lift up such atransport tool 1 plus the additional weight of a pipette tip carrier 2′suspended thereon, as is also known from the prior art, by means of thispipette tip 4 and reposition it on the work area.

For the function of the transport tool 1 according to the invention perse—in contrast to the disposable pipette tip 6—in this case the sealingaction of the releasable plug connection is not decisive. However, it isalso inherently provided, since the transport tool 1 is to be able to bereceived and discarded similarly to and instead of a disposable pipettetip 6 for the same pipette 4, i.e., the same device settings are usablefor receiving and discarding.

In the scope of the present invention, such a plug connection betweenthe transport tool 1 according to the invention and the receptacle end19 of a pipette 4 is a releasable support connection, if these two partsare separable from one another again by means of a discarding mechanismof the pipetting system 3. The force which must be applied to discard apipette tip 6 or a transport tool 1 corresponds to approximately 205 gto 400 g. Experience has shown that a transport tool 1 according to theinvention is therefore capable of receiving and transporting laboratoryarticles having a total weight of up to 400 g, wherein receiving andtransporting laboratory articles having a total weight of at most 205 gto 400 g is especially preferred.

As is known from the prior art with respect to disposable pipette tips6, such a releasable plug connection can be form-fitted,friction-locked, or a combination of form fit and friction lock. Inparticular to improve a friction-locked connection, it can be providedin this case that an additional surface which increases the friction isprovided on the corresponding region of the transport tool 1. Thisapplies both to a surface of the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7, andalso to an outer side 32 of the at least one holding means 13 of thearticle holder 11.

With a plugged-on transport tool 1 according to the invention, a pipette4 can then be used to receive, for example, an empty pipette tip carrier2′ and reposition it on the work area of the pipetting system 3. Forthis purpose, the transport tool 1 plugged onto the pipette 4 isadditionally plugged into a free storage opening 5′ of a pipette tipcarrier 2′, so that it couples this pipette tip carrier 2′ onto thepipette 4. Alternatively, the transport tool 1 can be coupled ontoanother laboratory article 2, which has an opening 5 dimensionedsimilarly in the dimensions to the storage openings 5′ or has anattached cylinder having similar internal dimensions (not shown). It isalso conceivable that the transport tool 1 is implemented for couplingwith other laboratory articles 2, for example, on microplates 2″ (thewells 5″ of which are used as the opening 5 for plugging in an articleholder 11), covers of microplates, or other containers, if its articleholder 11 was adapted accordingly in its shape or dimensions.

To plug the transport tool 1 into a free storage opening 5′ of a pipettetip carrier 2′ with its article holder 11, it comprises at least oneholding means 13. This holding means 13 is implemented so that, when thetransport tool 1 has been inserted sufficiently far into the freestorage opening 5, it forms a plug connection with this storage opening5.

The term “plug connection” is understood—in conjunction with the supportconnection between the transport tool 1 according to the invention and apipette tip carrier 2′—as a plug connection, which above all assumes aholding function between the transport tool 1 and this laboratoryarticle 2. It is to be ensured above all in this case that when thetransport tool 1 is both plugged onto a pipette 4 and also plugged intoa free storage opening 5′ of a pipette tip carrier 2′, the connectionbetween tool 1 and carrier 2′ and between tool 1 and pipette 4 does notdisengage again solely due to the weight of the carrier 2′ as soon asthe pipette 4 lifts and repositions the transport tool 1 and the pipettetip carrier 2′.

In conjunction with the present invention, this plug connection betweenthe at least one holding means 13 and the pipette tip carrier 2′ can beprovided, for example, by friction between at least one partial surfaceof the outer side 32 of the holding means 13 and at least one partialsurface of the inner side of the free storage opening 5 of the pipettetip carrier 2′. As already mentioned, a friction-increasing surface canbe provided for this purpose on the outer side 32 of the holding means13. Alternatively, two holding means can also be used to form this plugconnection, which form a finger-shaped snap hook, which completelypenetrates the storage opening 5 and is then applied to the bottom side24 of the pipette tip carrier 2′ (see FIG. 4, position E). It thus alsoapplies for this plug connection that, as is known from the prior art,it can be friction-locked or form-fitted or a combination of frictionlock and form fit.

Alternatively to holding solely by mechanical friction or a snapclosure, an adhesive bond, for example, according to FIGS. 7A and 7B,can also be provided. In this case, the holding means 12 of the articleholder 11 has a flat holding plate 35, which protrudes downward,pointing away from the plug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1, atleast approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 16 of thepipette 4 or the holding axis 12, and which is provided with an adhesivemeans 35′. This adhesive means 35′ is preferably selected from a groupof adhesives which includes dry adhesives and pressure-sensitiveadhesives, wherein the use of such adhesives is known per se to a personskilled in the art from other fields of technology (for example, frombuilding construction or model building). As shown in FIG. 7A, theholding plate 35 can be set back by means of a neck part 18 from theplug-in sleeve 7 and the connecting part 25. Alternatively thereto, asshown in FIG. 7B, the holding plate 35 can be implemented as a radialextension of the connecting part 25. To avoid the occurrence ofoverpressure in the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 during theplugging in of the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 or a partialvacuum in the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 during the discardingof the transport tool 1, it preferably comprises a ventilation hole 28,the arrangement of which is preferably oriented, for example, accordingto the implementation of the holding plate 35 (cf. FIGS. 7A and 7B). Inorder that a load-bearing adhesive bond can result between the transporttool 1 and a laboratory article 2 to be transported, the laboratoryarticle 2 preferably has a clean, flat contact surface, to which theholding plate 35 is aligned in parallel and which is aligned at leastapproximately perpendicularly to the holding axis 12 of the articleholder 11.

Preferably, the holding axis 12 of the article holder 11 is alignedvertically and that of the holding plate 35 is aligned horizontally.

Also alternatively to the holding solely by mechanical friction or asnap closure, a magnetic connection can also be provided, for example,according to FIGS. 8A and 8B. In this case, the holding means 13 of thearticle holder 11 has a flat holding plate 35, which protrudes downward,points away from the plug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1, and is atleast approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 16 of thepipette 4 or the holding axis 12 (cf. FIG. 8B) or a holding sleeve 36,which is provided with a magnetic means 36′. This magnetic means 36′ ispreferably a permanent magnet, for example, in the form of a cylindricalmagnet body (cf. FIG. 8A), which is glued or fastened in the holdingsleeve 36 of the transport tool 1. Alternatively, a flatly actingmagnetic strip is preferred as the magnetic means 36′, which is fastenedon the preferably horizontally aligned holding plate 35 (cf. FIG. 8B).In order that a load-bearing magnetic connection can result between thetransport tool 1 and a laboratory article 2 to be transported, thelaboratory article 2 preferably has a clean, flat contact surface, whichis aligned at least approximately perpendicularly to the holding axis 12of the article holder 11. A magnetizable film 44 or a magnetic strip ispreferably fastened on this contact surface of the laboratory article 2,with which the magnetic means 36′ of the transport tool 1 can have amagnetic interaction and thus the transport tool 1 can lift thelaboratory article 2.

To prevent the occurrence of an overpressure in the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7 during the plugging in of the receptacle end 19 of thepipette 4 or a partial vacuum in the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7during the discarding of the transport tool 1, it preferably comprises aventilation hole 28, the arrangement of which is preferably oriented,for example, according to the implementation and arrangement of theholding plate 35 (cf. FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B).

In contrast to the releasable plug connection, which is formed betweenthe transport tool 1 and the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, however,the plug connection between the transport tool 1 and a laboratoryarticle 2, for example, a pipette tip carrier 2′, does not have to bereleasable. The important function of this plug connection is theholding function or support function, as mentioned above. Whether or notthis plug connection is to be releasable is dependent above all onwhether or not the transport tool 1 is to be releasable again from thelaboratory article 2, for example, for reuse. Such an ability to releasethe support connection between transport tool 1 and laboratory article 2is typically provided in the case of a plug connection as shown in FIGS.3, 4 (positions C and E), 5, 6A and 6B. An ability to release thissupport connection is also provided in the case of magnetic connections,as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. In the case of support connections betweentransport tool 1 and laboratory article 2, which are based on anadhesive bond (cf. FIGS. 7A and 7B), an ability to release cannotnormally be presumed.

Various possible embodiments with respect to the sealing function, theholding function or support function, and the ability to release areknown per se to a person skilled in the art, so that these are not to bediscussed further.

The transport tool 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises, in theparticularly preferred embodiment, an article holder 11 having a holdingmeans 13. Using this holding means 13, the transport tool 1 can beplugged in a friction-locked manner into a free storage opening 5 of apipette tip carrier 2′, for example. In this particularly preferredembodiment, the one holding means 13 is implemented as essentiallyspherical. Alternatively, the holding means 13 can also be implementedas ellipsoidal or ovoid, for example. It is particularly preferable herefor the holding means 13 to comprise at least one slot 22. The slot 22extends, originating from the end of the article holder 11 opposite tothe connecting part 25, in the direction of the connecting part 25 andgoes beyond the greatest transverse extension of the article holder 11with respect to its holding axis 12. This slot 22 provides the holdingmeans 13 with a spring function, so that the transport tool 1 isimplemented so it can be plugged in a friction-locked manner with itsarticle holder 11 under elastic deformation of the holding means 13 intoa storage opening 5 of the pipette tip carrier 2′.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the essentially sphericalholding means 13 is connected via a narrow neck part 18 of the articleholder 11 to the connecting part 25. The at least one slot 22 preferablyextends over the greatest transverse extension of the article holder 11with respect to its holding axis 12 up into the narrow neck part 18.This combination of slotted, narrow neck part 18 and also slotted,essentially spherical holding means 13 increases the spring action ofthe holding means and therefore makes it easier to plug the transporttool 1 into the storage opening 5. An increased spring force improvesthe holding of the spherical holding means 13 in the storage opening 5and the transportability of the pipette tip holder 2 using the transporttool 1 and the pipette 4 of the pipetting system 3.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the slot 22 extends along thedirection of the holding axis 12 of the article holder 11.Alternatively, the slot 22 can also extend at an angle to the holdingaxis 12 of the article holder 11. In addition, the slot 22 can extend ina straight line or alternatively in a line deviating from a straightline. However, the slot 22 particularly preferably extends along astraight line and along the direction of the holding axis 12 of thearticle holder 11.

If the at least one holding means 13 of the article holder 11 of thetransport tool 1 is implemented as essentially spherical as in FIGS. 1Aand 1B and comprises the slot 22 as described above, the releasable plugconnection formed is essentially based on a releasable friction lock.The friction lock is produced in this case between the region of theouter side 32 of the holding ball 13 having the greatest transverseextension with respect to the holding axis 12 and the inner surface ofthe free storage opening 5 of the pipette tip carrier 2′. Furtherdetails on the insertion and holding of the transport tool in a freestorage opening 5 are discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4.

The transport tool 1 additionally comprises a connecting part 25, whichconnects the article holder 11 to the plug-in sleeve 7 on its endopposite to the receptacle opening 10. Therefore, the transport tool 1can be plugged with one side onto the pipette 4 of a pipetting system,and can be plugged with its other side into a free storage opening 5 ofa pipette tip carrier 2′. An already provided pipette 4 of the pipettingsystem 3 can thus be used, for example, to lift an empty pipette tipcarrier 2′ from its present position, transport it to another position,for example, a disposal station, and then discard this empty pipette tipcarrier 2′ there.

This usage of the pipette 4 already present on the pipetting device canbe performed without an additional gripper arm being necessary, andwithout further modifications being necessary on the pipetting system 3.This is possible because the transport tool 1 is structured anddimensioned so that—using the same settings on the device—it can simplybe plugged onto the pipette 4 instead of a disposable pipette tip 6 andadditionally thus engages in a free storage opening 5 of a pipette tipcarrier 2′ so that it also lifts the pipette tip carrier 2′ accordinglyupon lifting of the pipette 4. The lifted pipette tip carrier 2′ canthen be moved to the desired position by the corresponding movement ofthe pipette 4. The transport tool 1 together with the plugged-on pipettetip carrier 2′ (cf. FIG. 6A) or the plugged-on microplate 2″ (cf. FIG.6B) can then be discarded at this desired position using the discardingmechanism 30, which is also already provided, with application of thesame settings as for discarding a disposable pipette tip 6.

Disposable pipette tips 6 are known to a person skilled in the art fromthe prior art. In this case, disposable pipette tips 6 are understood asthose pipette tips which are generally used for only one pipettingoperation or for as few pipetting operations as possible and aredisposed of again after use. Such disposable pipette tips 6 can beplugged on in this case, as mentioned, in a friction-locked orform-fitted manner, or in a combination of friction lock and form fit,but always to form a seal, onto a pipette 4.

The transport tool 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B additionally comprises, onits end having the receptacle opening 10, a collar 29. This collar 29preferably extends completely around the outer side of the plug-insleeve 7 at its uppermost edge. It provides an enlarged surface on thetop side of the plug-in sleeve 7, to which a discarding mechanism 30 ofthe pipetting system 3 can be applied particularly well. The use of acollar 29 is known per se to a person skilled in the art from the priorart in the design of pipette tips 6. The attachment of such a collar inthe case of pipette tips 6 is preferred to provide an enlarged top edge,so that the application of a discarding mechanism is simplified, and toprovide the pipette tip with additional stability when it is receivedwith force, for example, on the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, forexample. The attachment of a collar 29 in the case of disposable pipettetips 6 and in the case of a transport tool 1 according to the inventionis optional and is dependent on the requirements for the pipette tip 6or the transport tool 1. The decision about whether a collar 29 shouldbe attached to the plug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1, and alsothe selection of the thickness and height of the collar 29 is within theknowledge of a person skilled in the art and is additionally oriented tothe embodiment of the discarding mechanism 30 of the pipetting system 3to be used. In the particularly preferred embodiment according to FIGS.1A and 1B, the transport tool 1 comprises a collar 29.

The use of at least two reinforcement struts 20 on the outer side 34 ofthe plug-in sleeve 7 is also optional, but is particularly preferred.Each reinforcement strut 20 preferably extends in the direction of thesleeve axis 9. In addition, further reinforcement struts 20′ can beprovided on the transport tool 1, for example, if a narrow, partiallyslotted neck part 18 is provided, as in the particularly preferredembodiment shown here. The use of reinforcement struts 20, 20′ is alsoknown per se to a person skilled in the art from the prior art in thedesign of disposable pipette tips 6. The attachment of reinforcementstruts is preferred in the case of disposable pipette tips 6 to providethem with increased stability in their top region, for example. This isparticularly advantageous to prevent or at least minimize possibledeformations of the pipette tip 6 due to the insertion of the receptacleend 19 of the pipette tip 4 for the sealed plugging in. Such adeformation could actually impair the sealing effect between theinterior 27 of the disposable pipette tip 6 and the outer side of thereceptacle end 19 of the pipette 4, which in turn could result inimpairment of the precision of the aspiration and dispensing operation.In addition, with the smallest possible deformation due to theapplication of a discarding mechanism 30, the required settings in thepipetting system 3, for example, the maximum required force forreleasing a specific disposable pipette tip 6 from the pipette 4, can bestandardized more easily.

In addition, reinforcement struts 26 are used in disposable pipette tips6 to hold them in a storage opening 5 of a pipette tip carrier 2′ or tosupport the disposable pipette tips 6 on the surface of the pipette tipcarrier 2′. For this purpose, the pipette tip 6 should comprise at leastthree reinforcement struts 26, which, when the pipette tip 6 is storedin the pipette tip carrier 2′, are applied to its surface. At leastthree such reinforcement struts are necessary so that the tip can standwithout tilting in the pipette tip carrier 2′.

Reinforcement struts 20, 20′ can also be used accordingly in thetransport tool according to the invention. The selection of the number,thickness, shape, and length of reinforcement struts 20 and thearrangement thereof on the transport tool 1 according to the inventionis within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art in this case.However, the plug-in sleeve 7 particularly preferably comprises at leastthree reinforcement struts 20 on its outer side 34, which extend in thedirection of the sleeve axis 9, and which are distributed at leastapproximately uniformly around the circumference of the plug-in sleeve7. The transport tool 1 strikes with the bottom side of thesereinforcement struts 20 on a surface of a tool carrier 37 for storingand providing transport tools 1.

FIG. 1B shows the transport tool 1 according to the particularlypreferred embodiment in a vertical cross-sectional drawing, as it ismounted in a special tool carrier 37. The tool carrier 37 alsocomprises—similarly to a pipette tip carrier 2′—storage openings, ineach of which a transport tool 1 is stored and provided for use. It iswell recognizable here how the transport tool 1 applies the bottom sidesof the reinforcement struts 20 to a top side of the tool carrier 37 andis thus held “standing” thereon. These are preferably the only contactpoints between transport tool 1 and its tool carrier 37: The storageopening of the tool carrier, in particular its internal diameter r, isadapted to the dimensions of the transport tool 1 so that its innersurface is not contacted thereby during the storage of a transport tool1, so that the transport tool 1 can be lifted out of the tool carrier 37with as little resistance as possible by a pipette 4.

The internal diameter r of the storage opening in the tool carrier 37for the transport tool 1 is adapted to the actual external diameter a ofthe article holder 11 or its holding means 13. Exemplary dimensions are:

a: 7.18 mm (=external diameter of the spherical holding means 13);

r: 7.6+0.05 mm (=internal diameter of the storage opening).

The design of the tool holder 37 for storing the transport tool 1 is notrelevant for the function of the transport tool 1 itself. However, itcan be provided, for example, that the tool holder 37 is positionable atthose positions on the work area of a pipetting system 3 which wereoriginally provided, for example, for a container for providing largerliquid volumes (for example, 25-150 ml). The storage of the transporttool 1 or a larger number of transport tools 1 can thus also beperformed in a space-saving manner. As an example, it is furthermorementioned here that such a tool holder 37 could be implemented so thatit can accommodate 16 transport tools 1. These 16 transport tools 1 aresufficient, for example, to process, i.e., reposition, four stacks eachhaving five pipette tip carriers 2′ (presuming that in each case thelowermost pipette tip carrier 2′ always remains in position).

In addition, it can be inferred from FIG. 1B that the transport tool 1is implemented as a hollow body; the implementation of the interior 8 ofthe plug-in sleeve 7 can thus be inferred well from this cross-sectionaldrawing. In this particularly preferred embodiment, the interior 8 ofthe plug-in sleeve is implemented as conically tapering toward theconnecting part 25. This embodiment is preferred if the transport tool 1is to be able to be plugged onto a conically tapering receptacle end 19of a pipette 4. Actually, such conically tapering receptacle ends 19 area frequently used form of the pipette end, since, in combination withthe easily producible disposable pipette tips having internal cone, itcan easily and reliably form a releasable, friction-locked, and sealedplug connection. Such conically tapering receptacle ends 19 of pipettes4 are also known in shortened form as “receptacle cones” in the priorart and are described in greater detail in conjunction with FIG. 2.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the interior 8 of the plug-insleeve 7 is implemented as cylindrical; this is preferred, for example,when the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 is also implemented ascylindrical and a form-fitted, releasable plug connection is provided(see also FIG. 4 and the corresponding discussion in this regard).

However, it is particularly preferable for the interior 8 of the plug-insleeve 7 to be implemented as conically tapering, wherein the receptacleopening 10 for the pipette 4 is arranged on the wider end and theconnecting part 25 is arranged on the narrower end of the interior 8.The plug-in sleeve 7 can thus be plugged in a friction-locked manneronto the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4, if this is also implementedas conically tapering, for example, if the receptacle end 19 has aring-shaped protrusion 14 spaced apart from the end of the pipette (cf.FIGS. 2 and 3).

As mentioned above, the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 is adapted tothe receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 so that the transport tool 1 can bereceived, held, and released like a disposable pipette tip 6 of the samepipette type. It is known per se to a person skilled in the art that theinterior 27 of such disposable pipette tips 6 is embodied such that whenthe pipette 4 is plugged in, not only is the disposable pipette tip 6securely held on the pipette 4, but rather additionally a seal is formedbetween pipette 7 and pipette tip 6. Exact aspiration and dispensing bythe pipetting device 3 can only be ensured when the pipette 4 closes theinterior 27 of the disposable pipette tip 6 to form a seal. For thefunction as a coupling between a pipette 4 and a transport tool 1, thesealing closure of the interior by the pipette 4 is not necessary perse. However, it results indirectly from the requirements that thetransport tool 1 can be held and released again in the most similarpossible manner on the pipette 4 as a corresponding pipette tip.

The positions of the sleeve axis 9 of the plug-in sleeve 7 and theholding axis 12 of the article holder 11 can additionally be inferredfrom FIG. 1B. In this particularly preferred embodiment which is shown,the connecting part 25 connects the article holder 11 to the plug-insleeve 7 so that the holding axis 12 of the article holder 11 and thesleeve axis 9 of the plug-in sleeve 7 are arranged coaxially to oneanother. Alternatively thereto, however, it can be provided that theholding axis 12 and the sleeve axis 9 are arranged axially parallel toone another. This is preferable if the transport tool 1 has more thanone article holder 11—for example, as shown in FIG. 5, two articleholders 11 arranged parallel to one another. The embodiment of atransport tool 1 having two article holders 11 is particularly preferredif, for example, the load which can be lifted by the transport tool 1 isto be increased or the friction lock between the article holder 11 andthe openings 5 of a specific laboratory article 2 is to be reduced.

It can also be seen well in FIG. 1B that in the particularly preferredembodiment of the transport tool 1, a ventilation hole 28 is provided.This is to enable a pressure equalization in the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7 if, to plug the transport tool 1 onto the pipette 4,the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 is to be inserted into theinterior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7. In the particularly preferredembodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the connecting part 25 comprisesthe at least one ventilation hole 28. A continuous interior thusresults, which extends originating from the receptacle opening 10 up tothe end of the article holder 11 or its holding means 13.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the connecting part 25 does notprovide the ventilation hole 28 (or a plurality thereof), but rather,for example, a side wall 31 of the plug-in sleeve 7, wherein eachventilation hole 28 completely penetrates this side wall 31 to enable apressure equalization (see also FIG. 4, position A and FIGS. 7B, 8A, and8B in this regard). Instead of a ventilation hole 28 (or additionally) aslot 42 which completely penetrates the wall can also be provided, whichextends in the direction of the sleeve axis 9 and is not only used forventilation, but rather also makes it easier to insert the receptacleend 19 of the pipette 4 into the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7, forexample, if the releasable plug connection is to be form-fitted (seealso FIG. 4, position C).

In FIG. 2, a transport tool 1 according to the invention, a pipette 4,which is known per se from the prior art, with its receptacle end 19,and a disposable pipette tip 6, which is also known per se from theprior art, are each shown in a cross-sectional drawing adjacent to oneanother. In this case, the relevant relationships between a transporttool 1 according to the invention, a selected receptacle end 19 of apipette 4 and a disposable pipette tip 6 are illustrated, so that thetransport tool 1 can be plugged onto a pipette 4 (and can be discardedtherefrom) instead of a known disposable pipette tip 6.

In principle, it is preferable for the dimensions of the receptacle end19 of the pipette 4 to determine the dimensions of the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7, i.e., for the pipetting device to specify theimplementation of the transport tool 1. This is a procedure known per sefrom the prior art for producers of disposable pipette tips 6: Pipettingdevices of various producers can also have variously shaped anddifferently dimensioned receptacle ends 19 of the pipettes 4 used, sothat corresponding disposable pipette tips 6 having different internaldimensions are required for the various pipettes 4, in order that apipette tip can form a sealing and nonetheless releasable plugconnection with the corresponding pipette 4 of the device. This approachhas proven itself, because thus the technically complicated part“pipette” does not have to be replaced for various pipette tips.Instead, the significantly more cost-effective mass-produced article(the disposable pipette tip 6 or the transport tool 1) can be adapted tothe pipette 4 during the production thereof.

A pipette 4 having a conical receptacle end 19 is shown in the middle ofFIG. 2. The receptacle end 19 is thus implemented here as conicallytapering toward the lower end of the pipette 4. The use of a receptaclecone is particularly preferable if, for example, a friction-locked,releasable plug connection is to be implemented between the pipette 4and a disposable pipette tip 6 or a transport tool 1. The conicity ofthe receptacle end 19 shown in FIG. 2 is achieved in this case in thatit has two circumferential ring-shaped protrusions 14,14′, which arespaced apart from one another and from the end of the pipette 4. In thiscase, the largest external diameter k of the upper protrusion 14 islarger than the largest external diameter i of the lower protrusion 14′,which is closer to the end of the pipette 4. The receptacle end 19 isthus wider in the region of the upper ring-shaped protrusion 14 than inthe region of the lower ring-shaped protrusion 14′. Therefore, theexternal surfaces thereof and the distance L_(14-14′) thereof to oneanother define the degree of the conicity. These ring-shaped,circumferential protrusions 14,14′ are positioned in this case at adistance to the end of the pipette 4 so that both can still plunge attheir largest external diameters i, k into the disposable pipette tip 6or into the transport tool 1, respectively. Upon reaching a definedplunging depth h,h′, the circumferential protrusions 14,14′ contact theinner wall of the disposable pipette tip 6 or the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1 and form the friction locktherein with the disposable pipette tip 6 or the transport tool 1.

Alternatively, the conicity of the receptacle end 19 can also beachieved in that only a single ring-shaped protrusion 14, which isspaced apart from the end of the pipette 4, is provided, so that thelargest external diameter k of this ring-shaped protrusion is largerthan any external diameter q of the receptacle end 19 in the directionof the end of the pipette 4 (see FIG. 4, position A).

The plunging depth h for a specific combination of pipette 4 anddisposable pipette tip 6 and also the plunging depth h′ for acorresponding combination of pipette 4 and transport tool 1 ispredetermined in each case. If the respective plunging depth h,h′ isachieved, the pipette tip 6 or the transport tool 1 is thus seatedplugged on releasably on the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4. Theinsertion of the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 into the interior 27of the pipette tip 6 or into the interior 8 of the transport tool 1,respectively, can be performed automatically in the common automaticpipetting machines. For this purpose, the force to be applied isascertained beforehand, which is required to push the pipette 4 with itsreceptacle end 19 into the disposable pipette tip 6 or into thetransport tool 1 until the desired plug connection is formed.

For example, such a conically tapering receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4can have the following dimensions, which are identified accordingly inFIG. 2:

-   h,h′: 11.1 mm (=plunging depth into an adapted disposable pipette    tip 6/into an adapted transport tool 1);-   i 5.13 mm (+0.01 mm/−0.03 mm; =largest external diameter of the    lower, ring-shaped protrusion 14′);-   k: 5.45 mm (+0.01 mm/−0.03 mm; =largest external diameter of the    upper, ring-shaped protrusion 14);-   L_(14-14′): 6.5 mm (+/−0.02 mm; =length of the spacing between i and    k);-   L₃₅: 14 mm (=total length of the receptacle end 19 between the end    of the pipette 4 and an upper edge 39);-   q: 4.7 mm (=external diameter of the pipette in the region of the    receptacle end 19).

Receptacle ends 19 of a pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3, which are notimplemented as conical but rather essentially cylindrical, are alsoknown. In this case, the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 of thetransport tool 1 according to the invention is also implemented ascomplementary, i.e., cylindrical. To enable the formation of areleasable plug connection, however, additional structures have to beprovided here on the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4; complementarystructures also have to be provided accordingly in the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7 (see FIG. 4, position C).

If a pipette 4 having receptacle end 19 or receptacle cone 19 is thusused—to implement the friction-locked, releasable plug connection—boththe interior 27 of the disposable pipette tip 6 and also the interior 8of the plug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1 according to theinvention are thus adapted to the receptacle cone 19, i.e., alsoimplemented as conically tapering. In each case one such adaptedtransport tool 1 and one such disposable pipette tip 6 are shown as anexample in FIG. 2 on the left side (the transport tool 1) and on theright side (the disposable pipette tip 6) of the pipette 4.

The disposable pipette tip 6 shown on the right side of FIG. 2 isadapted with its interior 27 to the receptacle cone 19 shown so that itcan be automatically plugged thereon in a friction-locked and releasablemanner. Such a disposable pipette tip 6 typically comprisesreinforcement struts 26, as were already briefly described above—theyare used, on the one hand, for reinforcing the upper collar region ofthe disposable pipette tip 6, to keep a deformation small during theinsertion of the receptacle end or receptacle cone 19 of the pipette 4or even to prevent it. In addition, these reinforcement struts 26 areused for loosely holding the disposable pipette tip 6 in a storageopening 5′ of a pipette tip carrier 2′. In this case, the pipette tip 6stands with the bottom side of these reinforcement struts 26 on the topside 23 of the pipette tip carrier 2′, without contacting the inner wallof the storage opening 5′ with its side walls. The disposable pipettetip 6 can thus be received easily and without resistance by a pipette 4and moved out of the storage opening 5′.

The disposable pipette tip 6 therefore has, in the region of thereinforcement struts 26, a largest, first external diameter p, which islarger than an uppermost diameter f′ (see FIG. 3, position E) of thestorage opening 5′ of the pipette tip carrier 2′. In addition, thedisposable pipette tip 6 has a second external diameter o in the largestexternal region without reinforcement struts 26, which is smaller thanthe uppermost diameter f′ of the storage opening 5′ of the pipette tipcarrier 2′. The storage of the disposable pipette tip 6 in the pipettetip carrier 2′ is enabled by the mutual adaptation of these externaldiameters o,p.

The interior 27 of the pipette tip 6 of FIG. 2 is conically tapering inthe direction of its pipette tip opening in that its first internaldiameter m, which is on top in the drawing, is larger than its second,lower internal diameter n. In this case, the conicity is adapted to theconicity of the external region of the receptacle end 19 of the pipette4 so that a releasable, friction-locked, and sealing plug connection canbe established, when the receptacle end 19 has been plugged up to thedefined plunging depth h into the disposable pipette tip 6. The fineadaptations for this purpose are within the knowledge of a personskilled in the art and will therefore not be explained further here.

An exemplary disposable pipette tip 6 which is adapted to the receptacleend 19 of the pipette 4 shown in FIG. 2 can have the followingdimensions, which are also identified accordingly in FIG. 2:

-   L₆: 58.3 mm (+/−0.2 mm; =total length of the disposable pipette tip    6);-   m: 5.39 mm (+/−0.03 mm; =first, larger internal diameter of the    disposable pipette tip 6);-   n: 5.06 mm (+/−0.03 mm; =second, smaller diameter of the disposable    pipette tip 6);-   o: 6.5 mm (+/−0.05 mm; =first, largest diameter of the disposable    pipette tip 6 without reinforcement struts 26);-   p: 7.9 mm (+/−0.05 mm; =second, largest diameter with reinforcement    struts 26).

A transport tool 1 according to the invention, which is adapted to thedimensions of the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 shown in the middleof FIG. 2, is shown on the left side of this pipette 4. Thecharacteristic structure was already described in detail with referenceto FIGS. 1A and 1B and therefore is not to be repeated here. Such anadapted transport tool 1 having conically tapering interior 8 for thereleasable, friction-locked plugging onto a conically taperingreceptacle end 19 according to the dimensions of FIG. 2 can itself havethe following dimensions, which are also identified accordingly in FIG.2:

-   a: 7.18 mm (+/−0.03 mm; =largest external diameter of the spherical,    slotted holding means 13);-   b: 7.15 mm (=smallest external diameter of the connecting part 25);-   c: 5.47 mm (+/−0.03 mm; =first, larger internal diameter of the    interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7);-   d: 4.97 mm (+/−0.03 mm; =second, smaller internal diameter of the    conical inner wall of the plug-in sleeve 7);-   L₇: 15.5 mm (=length of the plug-in sleeve 7);-   L₁₁: 8.5 mm (=length of the article holder 11);-   L₁₃: 5.25 mm (=length of the spherical holding means 13);-   L₂₅: 1 mm (=length of the connecting part 25).

The dimensions specified here are exemplary dimensions for acombination, which is adapted to one another, of transport tool 1according to the invention and receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 and fora combination, which is also adapted to one another, of disposablepipette tip 6 and the same receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4. It is inthe scope of the knowledge of a person skilled in the art, after studyof this application, to adapt the transport tool 1 according to theinvention to the corresponding shape and dimensions of the receptacleend 19 of a pipette 4 depending on the desired connection.

For the combinations specified here of transport tool 1 according to theinvention and receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4 and disposable pipettetip 6 and receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, the following deviceparameters can be used: To receive this disposable pipette tip 6 and toreceive this transport tool 1 on the pipette 4, a force of 24 N istypically required when used, for example, in the pipetting system 3“Freedom EVO®” of the current applicant. Similarly thereto, a force ofapproximately 5 N is required to discard this plugged-on disposablepipette tip 6 and to discard this plugged-on transport tool 1 using thediscarding mechanism 30 of the same pipetting system 3.

FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross section through a pipette tip carrier 2′known from the prior art. A disposable pipette tip 6 is mounted withoutresistance in each of the storage openings 5′ of the positions A and B,in that it stands with the bottom side of its reinforcement struts 26 onthe top side 23 of the pipette tip carrier 2′. A transport tool 1 isshown above the storage opening 5′ of the position F, which is alreadyplugged onto a pipette tip 4, and which is next to be plugged with itsarticle holder 11 into this storage opening 5′. In the storage opening5′ of the position H, a transport tool 1, which is plugged therein witha pipette 4 is shown.

A horizontal partition line is indicated in each case for the storageopenings 5′ at the positions A-C and E-H. This partition line identifiesa partition line between two injection mold halves, which were used forthe production of the pipette tip carrier 2′ shown here. To ensure gooddemolding ability, the corresponding storage opening 5′ spreads apartslightly conically in each case in the direction of the top side 23 andthe bottom side 24 of the pipette tip carrier 2′. The storage opening 5′therefore has a smallest internal diameter e at the height of thepartition line. The transport tools 1 and the disposable pipette tips 6,which are shown in FIG. 3, correspond to those which were each shown andspecified accordingly in FIG. 2. They are adapted to the dimensions ofthe storage openings 5′ of this pipette tip carrier 2′.

The following are mentioned as examples of a correspondingly adaptedstorage opening 5′ of a pipette tip carrier 2′:

-   a: 7.18 mm (+/−0.05 mm; =largest external diameter of the holding    means 13 of the transport tool 1);-   e: 7.0 mm (=narrowest internal diameter in the region of the    partition line);-   f: 7.25 mm (=outer internal diameter on the bottom side 24 of the    storage opening 5′);-   f′: 7.1 mm (=outer internal diameter on the top side 23 of the    storage opening 5′).

In contrast, a storage opening 5′ is shown in position D, whichcontinuously spreads apart conically from the top side 23 of the pipettetip carrier 2′ in the direction of its bottom side 24. Therefore, theouter, top internal diameter f′ is equal here to the narrowest diametere of this storage opening 5′. Storage openings 5′ which are implementedas cylindrical are also known (see also FIG. 4, position E).

A pipette 4 is already inserted in a friction-locked manner with itsreceptacle end 19 into the disposable pipette tip 6 in the storageopening 5′ of position A, so that the pipette 4 would carry along thedisposable pipette tip 6 during a corresponding upward movement. Asalready mentioned above, a friction lock is ensured for this combinationat a preferred plunging depth h of the pipette 4 of 11.1 mm into theinterior 27 of the disposable pipette tip 6. It is preferable in thiscase, when the pipette 4 is plugged in a friction-locked manner into thedisposable pipette tip 6, for the longitudinal axis 16 of the pipette 4and the longitudinal axis 15 of the disposable pipette tip 6 to bearranged coaxially.

For the disposable pipette tip 6 stored in position B, it is shown how asuitable pipette 4 is just moved down in the direction of the receptacleopening 17 of the pipette tip 6 in order to receive it. The relevantdiameters at the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 and in the interior27 of the disposable pipette tip 6 are emphasized here (diameters i andk of the pipette 4 and diameters m and n of the interior 27 of thedisposable pipette tip 6). The pipette is thus also plugged in afriction-locked manner into the disposable pipette tip 6 here.

If a disposable pipette tip 6 is plugged in a friction-locked orform-fitted manner onto the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4, thepipette 4 having plugged on disposable pipette tip 6 can automaticallybe moved to a defined position on the work area of the pipetting system3, so that the desired action, for example, an aspirating or dispensingoperation, can be carried out there.

A transport tool 1 according to the invention is shown above the freestorage opening 5′ of the position F, which is already plugged onto apipette 4 or its receptacle end 19. Accordingly, a transport tool 1stored in a tool carrier 37 was already received by the pipette 4 bylowering the pipette 4 and inserting the receptacle cone 19 into theplug-in sleeve 7 by a plunging depth h′. The transport tool 1 is shown,in the particularly preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2,having a conical plug-in sleeve interior 8, which tapers in thedirection of the connecting part 25, and an article holder 11 having theessentially spherical, slotted holding means 13. The pipette 4 for thisposition (and for the positions A, B, and H) is also shown having thetapering receptacle end 19, implemented by two circumferentialring-shaped protrusions 14, 14′ of different thicknesses. The transporttool 1 shown is therefore plugged in a releasable and friction-lockedmanner onto the pipette 4 when the pipette 4 is inserted by a preferredplunging depth h′ into the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7, whereinthe sleeve axis 9 of the plug-in sleeve 7, the holding axis 12 of thearticle holder 11, and the longitudinal axis 16 of the pipette 4 arearranged coaxially to one another.

The plunging depths h and h′ are essentially determined in this case bythe dimensions of the receptacle end 19 of the pipette and of theinterior 27 of the pipette tip 6, and the same pipette 4 preferablyplunges by the same plunging depth h and h′ to form the releasable plugconnection both into the corresponding disposable pipette tip 6 and alsointo the plug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1. The transport tool 1in this particularly preferred embodiment is particularly suitable inthis case to form a plug connection with a storage opening 5′, which, asdescribed above, spreads apart slightly conically from the partitionline in the direction of the top side 23 and the bottom side 24 of thepipette tip carrier 2′, so that this pipette tip carrier 2′ can thus beraised with the pipette 4 by the transport tool 1 thus coupled andrepositioned on the work area of the pipetting system 3 or disposed of.This is illustrated in the position H of the pipette tip carrier 2′.

The pipette 4 was lowered here with the plugged-on transport tool 1 inthe direction of the free storage opening 5 in the position H. By way ofthe lowering, the spherical, slotted holding means 13 is guided intothis storage opening 5′, wherein the spherical holding means 13 iscompressed by the spring function provided by the slot 22, so that it iselastically applied to the inner walls of the storage opening 5 as soonas it is pushed with its largest external diameter a into the regions ofthe storage openings 5′ having equally large or smaller internaldiameter. The spherical holding means 13 is firstly compressed more andmore strongly until it passes the narrowest internal diameter e at thepartition line. Since the internal diameter of the storage opening 5′becomes larger again in the direction of the bottom side 2, thespherical holding means 13 is then firstly compressed less stronglyagain when it is pushed further into the storage opening 5′. Thetransport tool 1 is actually pushed by means of the pipette 4 with itsspherical holding means 13 beyond the narrowest internal diameter e intothe storage opening 5′, so that the spherical holding means 13 isfirstly not positioned at a height having its greatest clamping actionin the storage opening 5′. For a transport tool 1 having the dimensionsas are specified as examples in FIG. 2 (i.e., having a largest externaldiameter of the spherical holding means 13 of a=7.18 mm), a plug-indepth g of approximately 8 mm is preferred in this case if the narrowestinternal diameter is e=7.0 mm and is spaced apart by a length L_(e)=4.0mm from the top side 23 of the pipette tip carrier 2′.

The transport tool 1 is also lifted by a subsequent upward movement ofthe pipette 4 and it is firstly drawn upward again in the storageopening 5′ until it reaches a position inside the storage opening 5′ inwhich the friction force between spherical holding means 13 and innerwall of the storage opening 5′ and the weight force of the pipette tipcarrier 2′ are of equal amounts. If the spherical holding means 13 islocated in this position, it thus also lifts the pipette tip carrier 2′during a further upward movement of the pipette 4, and the pipette tipcarrier 2′ can also be moved above the work area of the pipetting system3 and, for example, repositioned by the corresponding further movementsof the pipette 4.

It can additionally be inferred from FIG. 3 at the position H that inthis combination, reaching the preferred plug-in depth g of thetransport tool 1 into the storage opening 5′ is not restricted by theouter edges of the connecting part 25 (having the external diameter b,cf. FIG. 2). However, it can be possible to implement these outer edgesso that their external diameter b is larger than the upper, outerinternal diameter f′ of the storage opening 5′, for example, todetermine a maximum plunging depth for the transport tool 1 into thestorage opening 5′.

FIG. 4 shows a vertical cross section through a pipette tip carrier 2′having three plugged-in transport tools 1, which occupy storage openings5′ in the positions A, C, and E of the pipette tip carrier 2′. Eachtransport tool 1 has in this case different embodiments of its essentialelements plug-in sleeve 7, connecting part 25, and article holder 11 ineach case. It is illustrated here as an example how the variousembodiments of the plug-in sleeve 7, connecting part 25, and articleholder 11 can be combined with one another to form a transport tool 1individually adapted to a specific pipette 4 and a specific pipette tipcarrier 2′.

A plugged-in transport tool 1 is shown in the position A of FIG. 4, inthe case of which the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 is implementedas conically tapering toward the connecting part 25. This transport tool1 is therefore particularly suitable to be plugged in a friction-lockedmanner onto a receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, which is implemented asconically tapering toward its receptacle end 19. The conicity of thereceptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 is determined in this case by meansof the external diameter of only one circumferential, ring-shapedprotrusion 14 and the external diameter of the pipette 4 at the end ofits receptacle end 19. The plug-in sleeve 7 of this transport tool 1comprises reinforcement struts 20 (the collar 29 is not shown here, cf.FIG. 1A). The plug-in sleeve 7 itself comprises at least one ventilationhole 28 here to enable a pressure equalization in the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7. The ventilation hole 28 penetrates a side wall 31 ofthe plug-in sleeve 7. The plug-in sleeve 7 can also comprise a pluralityof ventilation holes 28, which penetrate the side wall 31 of the plug-insleeve 7. In this transport tool 1, the connecting part 25 does not havea ventilation hole 28, although it does not have to be omitted.

The article holder 11 of the transport tool 1 shown in the position A ofthe pipette tip carrier 2′ is implemented as an oblong hollow body. Itcomprises a plurality of holding means 13, which are implemented asprojections 33 and which are arranged on the outer side 32 of thearticle holder 11. In this case, these holding means 13, which areimplemented as projections 33, are implemented to form a friction-lockedplug connection with the storage opening 5′ of the pipette tip carrier2′. For an improved clamping action, the article holder 11 canadditionally be implemented as slotted (not shown).

The plugged-in transport tool 1 shown in the position C of FIG. 4comprises a plug-in sleeve 7, using which the transport tool 1 can beplugged in a form-fitted manner onto a receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4.For this purpose, the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 preferablycomprises at least one circumferential depression 21. Thesecircumferential depressions 21 are implemented as complementary to thering-shaped protrusion 14 of the pipette 4, which is spaced apart fromthe end of the pipette 4. However, an interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7having two circumferential depressions 21, which are implemented ascomplementary to two ring-shaped protrusions 14,14′ of the pipette 4,which are arranged on the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 and arespaced apart from one another, is particularly preferred and shown. Sucha form-fitted receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, which is plugged in aform-fitted manner over two circumferential depressions of the interior8 of the plug-in sleeve 7, having two corresponding complementarycircumferential, ring-shaped protrusions is indicated by a dotted line.

If the releasable plug connection between the plug-in sleeve 7 of thetransport tool 1 and the pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3 is formed bya form fit, the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 can be implemented ascylindrical—if this is predefined by the shape of the receptacle end 19of the pipette 4. In this case, the first internal diameter c of theinterior 8 would correspond to the second diameter of the interior 8.This situation is also shown for the transport tool 1 in the position Cof FIG. 4. To make it easier to insert the pipette 4 through thereceptacle opening 10 of the plug-in sleeve 7 into its interior 8, itcan be provided that the plug-in sleeve 7 comprises a slot 40 which,originating from the receptacle opening 10, extends in the direction ofthe connecting part 25, but does not reach it. The length and width ofthis slot 40 are preferably selected in this case so that, on the onehand, the pipette 4 can be inserted easily into the interior 8 of theplug-in sleeve 7, but the plug-in sleeve 7 is not spread apart in thiscase so much that the pipette 4 no longer holds the transport tool 1when it is moved upward again, for example. The form-fitted plugconnection must still be able to be formed. On the other hand, this slot40 can be implemented so that it is used as a replacement for one ormore ventilation holes 28, in that it thus itself enables a pressureequalization in the interior 8 of the plug-in sleeve 7 when the pipette4 is inserted with its receptacle end 19 into the plug-in sleeve 7.

The transport tool 1 shown in the position C additionally comprisesreinforcement struts 20 on its plug-in sleeve 7, which extendessentially over the entire length L₇ (cf. FIG. 2). Such longreinforcement struts 20 are used for additionally stabilizing theplug-in sleeve 7, if they comprise the long slot 40 to make it easier toinsert the pipette 4. The selection of the length, width, and number ofsuch reinforcement struts is within the knowledge of a person skilled inthe art.

The at least one holding means 13 of the article holder 11 of thetransport tool 1 shown in the position C is implemented, as describedabove in FIGS. 1A to 3, as essentially spherical and slotted. In thiscase, it is plugged into a storage opening 5′ of the pipette tip carrier2′, which spreads apart conically in the direction of the bottom side 24of the pipette tip carrier 2′ originating from the top side 23 of thepipette tip carrier 2′.

The plugged-in transport tool 1 shown in the position E comprises aplug-in sleeve 7, as was already shown for transport tools 1 in FIGS. 1Ato 3; it is accordingly implemented to form a friction-locked,releasable plug connection with a corresponding receptacle end 19 of apipette 4. The ventilation hole 28 is located in the connecting part 25in this case.

The article holder 11 of this transport tool 1 in the position Ecomprises at least two holding means 13 here, which are implemented asfinger-shaped. This finger-shaped holding means 13 completely penetratesthe storage opening 5′ in this case when the article holder 11 isplugged in, and at least one of these fingers is a finger-shaped snaphook having a stop.

The plug connection between the article holder 11 and the pipette tipcarrier 2′ is formed in this case at least by means of thisfinger-shaped snap hook, since, when the article holder 11 is pluggedinto the storage opening 5′, the snap hook is applied to its bottom side24. A snap connection is thus formed between the finger-shaped holdingmeans 13 and the pipette tip carrier 2′.

In each of these three different embodiments, the sleeve axis 9 of theplug-in sleeve 7, the holding axis 12 of the article holder 11, and thelongitudinal axis of the pipette 4 are arranged coaxially to one anotherin each case when the transport tool 1 is plugged with its plug-insleeve 7 onto the corresponding receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 andis plugged with its article holder 11 into a storage opening 5′ of apipette tip carrier 2′. Alternative arrangements are shown in followingFIG. 5.

FIG. 5 shows a transport tool 1 according to the invention according tofurther alternative embodiments with respect to the implementation ofits article holder 11. In both of these two embodiments shown, thetransport tool 1 comprises two article holders 11 in each case, whichare arranged differently with their holding axes 12 with respect to thesleeve axis 9 of the plug-in sleeve 7. The transport tool 1 shown on theleft side of FIG. 5 comprises two article holders 11, which areconnected by the connecting part 25 to the plug-in sleeve 7 so that theholding axis 12 of the first article holder 11 (the right article holder11 in this illustration) is arranged coaxially to the sleeve axis 9 andthe holding axis 12 of the second article holder 11 (the left articleholder 11 in this illustration) is arranged axially-parallel to thesleeve axis 9.

The transport tool 1 shown on the right side of FIG. 5 also comprisestwo article holders 11. In this case, however, the article holders 11are connected by the connecting part 25 to the plug-in sleeve 7 so thattheir two holding axes 12 are arranged axially-parallel to the sleeveaxis 9.

The variant of the article holder 11 having the slotted, essentiallyspherical embodiment of the holding means 13 is shown as an example ofthis embodiment of the transport tool 1. However, it also applies forthis embodiment having two article holders 11 that other variants of thearticle holder 11 and its at least one holding means 13 can also beused, as long as they are capable of forming a plug connection with freestorage openings 5′ of a pipette tip carrier 2′.

It is also conceivable that a transport tool 1 not only comprises two,but rather if needed even more article holders 11. If two or morearticle holders 11 are used per transport tool 1, the axial spacingbetween the holding axes 12 preferably corresponds to the axial spacingof directly or diagonally adjacent storage openings 5′ of the pipettetip carrier 2′ to be received.

The use of two or more article holders 11 per transport tool 1 ispreferable in particular if, for example, the load which can be liftedis to be increased, or if the holding force of the individual articleholders 11 is to be reduced with equal load to be carried.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the transport tool 1 is producedin one piece and from plastic. To base the properties of the transporttool as closely as possible on the properties of a disposable pipettetip 6 which can be plugged on well for a specific receptacle end 19 of apipette 4, the same plastic is preferably used for the production of thetransport tool 1 as for this disposable pipette tip 6. As an example,polypropylene is mentioned here, which can optionally be admixed withgraphite particles. The use of graphite particles is known from theproduction of disposable pipette tips 6 to make them conductive.

In a very particularly preferred embodiment, the transport tool 1 isused as a disposable article. It is then thus not provided that atransport tool 1 plugged once into at least one storage opening 5′ of apipette tip carrier 2′ is released from these storage openings 5′ again.

The various embodiments described in the Figures of the plug-in sleeve7, connecting part 25, and article holder 11 having a holding means 13can be combined as needed with one another to form an individualtransport tool 1, to adapt both to a specific pipette 4 and also to aspecific laboratory article 2, for example, a pipette tip carrier 2′.

If the transport tool 1 is essentially adapted in its dimensions andproperties, for plugging onto a pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3, tothe dimensions and properties of known disposable pipette tips 6, anessential advantage is that the device settings for receiving adisposable pipette tip 6 can also be assumed for receiving a transporttool 1. In addition, a plugged-on transport tool 1, for example, if ithas already been used for repositioning an empty pipette tip carrier 2′,can also be pushed off of the pipette 4 using the same discardingmechanism and the same device settings. FIG. 6A shows an overviewdrawing of a possible principle of how a discarding mechanism 30 of apipetting system 3 for disposable pipette tips 6 can also be used todiscard a transport tool 1 plugged onto the pipette 4. In this case, thesituation is shown on the left side of FIG. 6A in a first step, in whicha transport tool 1 is plugged onto a pipette 4, and additionally apipette tip carrier 2′ having at least 5 free storage openings 5′ hangson its article holder 11. The discarding mechanism 30 of the pipettingsystem 3 comprises a discarding lever 38 and is arranged in this case onthe right adjacent to the pipette 4. The discarding mechanism 30 ispivotable about an axis (not shown), so that it can apply its discardinglever 38 to the top edge of the transport tool 1 (in this case itscollar 29) when it is moved into a corresponding discarding position.The pivot direction in which the discarding lever 38 must be moved toactually be applied to the top edge of the transport tool 1, so that thetool 1 is pushed off of the pipette 4, is indicated by a curved arrow.The discarding mechanism 30 can also be pivoted back into it startingposition, this pivot direction is not shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, however.For the discarding, the discarding lever 38 is thus pivoted with thediscarding mechanism 30 in the direction of the pipette 4 and moved intothe discarding position. The pipette 4 is subsequently moved upward.This upward movement of the pipette 4 is indicated in the situation onthe right side of FIG. 6A by a straight arrow.

The pivoting movement of the discarding mechanism 30 and the upwardmovement of the pipette 4 are preferably adapted to one another so thatthe discarding lever 38 is applied to the collar 29 of the transporttool 1 when the pipette 4 is still in the upward movement. If thepipette 4 is moved upward, and the discarding lever 38 of the discardingmechanism 30 is already in the discarding position, the plugged-ontransport tool 1 is initially also moved upward with the pipette,specifically until it strikes with its top edge against the discardinglever 38. If the pipette 4 is moved further upward, the transport tool 1is no longer carried along, since it is held by the discarding lever 38in a fixed vertical position. During a further upward movement of thepipette 4, it is therefore also moved in relation to the transport tool1, so that the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 is pulled out of theplug-in sleeve 7 of the transport tool 1 through the receptacle opening10. The plug connection is thus released and the transport tool 1falls—with coupled pipette tip carrier 2′ (or here with coupledmicroplate 2″)—off of the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 anddownward. This situation is shown on the right side in FIG. 6A.

Similarly thereto, the same discarding mechanism 30 is shown in FIG. 6Bas in FIG. 6A. It is used here, as is known from the prior art, for adisposable pipette tip 6 plugged onto a pipette 4 of the pipettingsystem 3. The discarding mechanism 30 is not yet pivoted in thedirection of the pipette 4, but rather is still located in its idleposition. To discard the disposable pipette tip 6, the discarding lever38 is moved into its discarding position, so that when the pipette 4 ismoved upward, the discarding lever 38 is applied to the top edge of thedisposable pipette tip 6 and releases the disposable pipette tip 6 fromthe pipette 4 during the further upward movement of the pipette.

The situations for a disposable pipette tip 6 and a transport tool 1,which are plugged in a friction-locked manner onto the receptacle end oronto the receptacle cone 19 of the pipette 4, are shown in each of FIGS.6A and 6B. The principle of the discarding is also transferable todisposable pipette tips 6 and transport tools 1 which are plugged on ina form-fitted manner, however.

In an alternative embodiment of the discarding mechanism 30, which isalso known from the prior art, the discarding lever 38 is not directlyapplied to a top edge of the disposable pipette tip 6 or the transporttool 1, but rather to a top edge of an adapter housing (not shown) whichis arranged above the pipette 4 and enclosing it. This adapter housingis elastically movable in relation to the pipette 4 itself. Thediscarding lever 38 of the discarding mechanism is thus arranged higherin relation to the receptacle end 19 of the pipette 4 in this case. Ifthe discarding lever 38 is pivoted into the discarding position, and thepipette 4 is moved upward by a robot drive, the discarding lever 38 isapplied to the top edge of the adapter housing and holds it and an outersleeve 41 arranged underneath in a specific vertical position. If thepipette 4 is then moved further upward, the originally plugged-ontransport tool 1 or the originally plugged-on disposable pipette tip 6is also initially held by means of the adapter housing and the outersleeve 41 in a specific vertical position, specifically until thereceptacle end 19 is drawn enough out of the interior 8 of the plug-insleeve 7 that the plug connection is released and the transport tool 1or the plugged-on pipette tip 6 falls off of the receptacle end 19 andtherefore off of the pipette 4.

FIGS. 7A and 7B shows vertical sections through two transport tools 1according to the invention, each having an article holder 11 implementedto form an adhesive bond.

FIG. 7A shows a first variant having a ring-shaped adhesive means 35′,which is applied to a flat holding plate 35 aligned essentiallyperpendicularly to the sleeve axis 9. The adhesive means 35′ in the formof a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which was previously applied to boththe holding plate 35 and also to a flat surface 42 of a microplate cover2″, provides the support connection between the microplate cover 2″ andthe holding plate 35 of the transport tool 1. The transport tool 1 isplugged onto the receptacle end 19 of a pipette 4, as was already shownand described in conjunction with FIGS. 1A to 3, wherein the pipette 4plunges by a plunging depth h′ into the plug-in sleeve 7 of thetransport tool 1. The holding axis 12 of the article holder 11 and thelongitudinal axis 16 of the pipette 4 are arranged coaxially to oneanother. The transport tool/microplate cover combination 1,2″ which isprovided by this adhesive bond can be transported using the pipette 4 ofthe pipetting system 3 and deposited at arbitrary locations in theregion of the work area or the work region of the pipette 4 of thispipetting system 3 and received again as needed. It is thereforepossible to lift microplate covers 2″ arbitrarily often off ofmicroplates 2″ and place them thereon again with the aid of a pipette 4.

The preferred position of a tool carrier 37 is indicated by means of adashed double line. In the case of a stamp-shaped transport tool, a toolcarrier 37 is preferred, the design of which is similar to the shape ofa stamp carrier (not shown, but known per se to everyone).

FIG. 7B shows a second variant having a circular or square adhesivemeans 35′, which is applied to a flat holding plate 35 alignedessentially perpendicularly to the sleeve axis 9. This holding plate 35is also the connecting part 25 of the transport tool 1. The transporttool 1 has already been received by a pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3(cf. FIG. 7A), it is presently still located in the tool carrier 37, onwhich it rests with its reinforcement struts 20. The adhesive means 35′in the form of a dry adhesive, which was previously glued with a firstadhesive side on the holding plate 35, is still covered on the secondadhesive side with a protective film 43, which is in turn fastened onthe tool carrier 37. If the pipette 4 is now drawn up out of the toolcarrier 37, the protective film 43 thus detaches from the secondadhesive side of the adhesive means 35′ and remains back in the toolcarrier 37. The detaching of the protective film 43 from the adhesivemeans 35′ is made easier by an elastic protective film 43 or atransverse fold therein, because the added length of the protective filmstrip required for the detaching is thus ensured. Subsequently, thepipette 4 can be moved with the transport tool 1 to an arbitrarylaboratory article 2 (not shown here) and can be lowered in the regionof a flat surface 42 thereof. By lightly pressing the adhesive means 35′onto this flat surface 42, the load-bearing adhesive bond between thetransport tool 1 and the laboratory article 2 is produced. The holdingaxis 12 of the article holder 11 and the longitudinal axis 16 of thepipette 4 are arranged coaxially to one another. The transporttool/laboratory article combination 1, 2 provided by this adhesive bondcan be transported using the pipette 4 of the pipetting system 3 anddeposited at arbitrary locations in the region of the work area or inthe work region of the pipette 4 of this pipetting system 3 and receivedagain as needed. Adhesive bonds between transport tool 1 and laboratoryarticle 2 typically cannot be detached from the pipetting system 3, sothat the laboratory article 2 is generally disposed of with glued-ontransport tool 1.

FIGS. 8A and 8B shows vertical sections through two transport tools 1according to the invention, each having an article holder 11 implementedto form a magnetic connection.

FIG. 8A shows a first variant having an integrated magnetic means 36′ inthe form of a cylindrical permanent magnet, which is fastened (forexample, glued) with its rear side on the connecting part 25 of thetransport tool 1. The permanent magnet (not shown) is preferablyenclosed by material of the transport tool 1 for its protection, thepermanent magnet can thus also be produced as back-injected withpolypropylene in the injection method and thus can be connected to thematerial of the transport tool 1. Extrusion coating of the permanentmagnet with the polypropylene of the transport tool 1 is especiallypreferred, wherein a thin layer of approximately 0.5 mm to 1 mmpolypropylene is preferred on the downwardly-oriented front side of thepermanent magnet, so that its attractive force is not excessivelyreduced (not shown). The permanent magnet preferably has a large fieldstrength and typically comprises rare earth elements such as samarium,cobalt, and/or neodymium. The transport tool 1 has already been receivedby a pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3 (cf. FIG. 7B), it is presentlystill located in the tool carrier 37, on which it rests with itsreinforcement struts 20. Alternatively, the transport tool 1 can standwith the permanent magnet downward on the tool carrier 37, wherein thelatter then only still has a stabilization function and prevents thetransport tool 1 from falling over or slipping away. The holding axis 12of the article holder 11 and the longitudinal axis 16 of the pipette 4are arranged coaxially to one another. The pipette 4 with the transporttool 1 can be lifted out of the tool carrier 37, moved to an arbitrarylaboratory article 2 (not shown here), and lowered in the region of aflat surface 42 thereof. The flat surface 42 of the laboratory article 2to be received is preferably laminated or covered with a foil made ofmagnetizable material 44 (for example, iron, nickel, or iron/nickelalloys). By lowering the transport tool 1 onto this flat surface 42, theload-bearing magnetic connection between the permanent magnet of thetransport tool 1 and magnetizable material 44 of the laboratory article2 is established. The transport tool/laboratory article combination 1provided by this magnetic connection can be transported using thepipette 4 of the pipetting system 3 and deposited at arbitrary locationsin the region of the work area or in the work region of the pipette 4 ofthis pipetting system 3 and received again as needed.

FIG. 8B shows a second variant having a magnetic means 36′ in the formof a circular or square strip magnet, which is attached (for example,glued) onto a flat holding plate 35 which is aligned essentiallyperpendicularly to the sleeve axis 9. This holding plate 35 is also theconnecting part 25 of the transport tool 1. This holding plate 35preferably has a substantially larger area than the connecting part 25,because experience has shown that strip magnets have a lower fieldstrength than cylindrical permanent magnets, for example. The transporttool 1 has been received by a pipette 4 of a pipetting system 3 and aload-bearing magnetic connection has already been established betweenthe transport tool 1 and the magnetizable material 44 (for example, afoil having iron, nickel, or iron/nickel alloys) on the surface 42 of amicroplate cover 2″. Alternatively, the flat surface 42 of thelaboratory article 2 to be received is laminated with a second stripmagnet (not shown). The transport tool/laboratory article combination 1,2 provided by this magnetic connection can be transported using thepipette 4 of the pipetting system 3 and deposited at arbitrary locationsin the region of the work area or in the work region of the pipette 4 ofthis pipetting system 3 and received again as needed. The preferredposition of a tool carrier 37 is indicated by means of a dashed doubleline. In the case of a stamp-shaped transport tool, a tool carrier 37,the design of which is similar to the shape of a stamp carrier, ispreferred (not shown, but known per se to everyone).

Magnetic connections between transport tool 1 and laboratory article 2can typically be detached again manually or also automatically by thepipetting system 3, in that the laboratory article 2 is depositedsecured against lateral movements, and then the transport tool 1 isdrawn off sideways and, for example, in the essentially horizontaldirection from the magnetizable material 44 of the laboratory article 2.This simple reuse of the transport tool 1 is a significant advantage ofthe magnetic connection and allows only the laboratory article 2 to haveto be disposed of (if necessary).

Pipette tips 6 as disposable articles can be discarded after use on awaste chute for disposal. However, for repeated use, the pipette tips 6can also be inserted back into empty storage openings 5′ of a pipettetip carrier 2′ until the reinforcement struts 26 are located a fewmillimeters above the top edge of the pipette tip carrier 2′. Thepipette tips 6 are then “discarded” or reset, respectively, according toFIG. 6B. The reset and reuse makes sense if the corresponding pipettetips 6 were used to distribute buffer solutions, for example, but notsamples. The same basic mechanism can be applied for the targeteddepositing and reuse of other laboratory articles 2, for example, coversof microplates 2″, troughs, and the like.

Identical reference signs refer to corresponding elements of the presentinvention, although reference is not made specifically thereto in eachcase. Although many of the examples shown refer to pipette tip carriers2′, all findings obtained and features defined in conjunction with thetransport tools 1 according to the invention and the use thereof can beapplied similarly to receiving, transporting, depositing, or discardingpractically any arbitrary laboratory articles 2.

List of reference signs  1 transport tool  2 laboratory article  2′pipette tip carrier  2″ microplate cover  2′″ microplate  3 pipettingsystem  4 pipette  5 opening  5′ storage opening  5″ well of 2′″  6pipette tip  7 plug-in sleeve  8 interior of 7  9 sleeve axis 10receptacle opening of 7 11 article holder 12 holding axis of 11 13holding means 14, 14′ ring-shaped protrusion 15 longitudinal axis of 616 longitudinal axis of 4 17 receptacle opening of 6 18 neck part of 119 receptacle end, cone of 4 20, 20′ reinforcement struts of 1 21depression for 14 22 slot 23 top side of 2, 2′, 2″ 24 bottom side of 2,2′, 2″ 25 connecting part 26 reinforcement strut of 6 27 interior of 628 ventilation hole 29 collar of 7 30 discarding mechanism 31 side wallof 7 32 outer side of 11 and 13 33 projection 34 outer side of 7 35holding plate 35′ adhesive means 36 holding sleeve 36′ magnetic means 37tool carrier, tool holder 38 discarding lever 39 upper edge of 19 40slot of 7 41 external sleeve of the pipette 4 42 flat surface of 2, 2′,2″ 43 protective film 44 magnetizable material a largest externaldiameter of 13 b smallest external diameter of 25 c first internaldiameter of 8 d second internal diameter of 8 e smallest internaldiameter of 5, 5′ f, f′ outer internal diameter of 5, 5′ g plug-in depthof 1 h, h′ plunging depth of 4 i external diameter of 14 k externaldiameter of 14′ l length (l₆, l₇, l₁₁, l₁₃, l_(14-14′), l₂₅, l₃₅, l_(e))m first internal diameter of 6 n second internal diameter of 6 o firstexternal diameter of 6 p second external diameter of 6 q externaldiameter of 19 r internal diameter of storage opening of 37

What is claimed is:
 1. A transport tool for transporting a laboratoryarticle using a pipette of a pipetting system, the transport toolcomprising: a plug-in sleeve at a top end of the transport tool; anarticle holder at a bottom end of the transport tool; and a connectingpart which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder; whereinthe transport tool is vertically elongated along a vertical axis;wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises a side sleeve wall and a bottom,wherein the side sleeve wall has an inner surface and an outer surface,and wherein the side sleeve wall and the bottom surround an interiorspace of the plug-in sleeve; wherein said interior space of the plug-insleeve has a shape selected from: cylindrical and conically tapering;wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises an upward-facing opening, theupward-facing opening being positioned to receive an end of a pipette ofan automated pipetting system into the interior space of the plug-insleeve; wherein the connecting part is positioned between the interiorspace of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder, and said top surfaceof the connecting part is located at a lower end of the plug-in sleeveopposite the upward-facing opening; and wherein the article holdercomprises a holding element oriented downward away from the connectingpart, the holding element comprising at least two elongated projections,with at least one of the at least two elongated projections comprisingone snap hook protruding outwards at an end of the holding element andbeing positioned to hook under a storage opening of a pipette tipcarrier for connection with the pipette tip carrier when the holdingelement is pushed into said storage opening.
 2. The transport tool ofclaim 1: wherein the side sleeve wall of the plug-in sleeve taperstowards the connecting part, the interior space of the plug-in sleevehaving a wide end and an end which is narrower than the wide end,wherein the upward-facing opening is at the wider end of the plug-insleeve.
 3. The transport tool of claim 1: wherein the side sleeve wallof the plug-in sleeve comprises a circumferential depression in theinner surface shaped for engagement with a complementary protrusion ofthe end of the pipette.
 4. The transport tool of claim 1: furthercomprising at least one ventilation hole in the side wall of the plug-insleeve or in the connecting part.
 5. The transport tool of claim 1:wherein exactly one article holder is provided at the bottom end of thetransport tool; and wherein said vertical axis of the transport toolpasses through a center of the plug-in sleeve and a center of theexactly one article holder, with the plug-in sleeve being positioneddirectly above the article holder.
 6. The transport tool of claim 1:wherein the transport tool, including the plug-in sleeve, the articleholder, and the holding element are collectively formed as a singlepiece of plastic.
 7. A method for transporting a pipette tip carrierusing a pipette of an automated pipetting system, the method comprising:providing a transport tool according to claim 1; providing a pipette tipcarrier comprising a storage opening; providing an automated pipettingsystem comprising at least one pipette; inserting the at least onepipette of the automated pipetting system into the plug-in sleeve of thetransport tool, with the at least one pipette reversibly engaging theplug-in sleeve; inserting the holding element of the transport tool intothe storage opening of the pipette tip carrier, and the holding elementthereby engaging the pipette tip carrier, wherein said step of insertingthe holding element of the transport tool into the storage opening ofthe pipette tip carrier comprises said one or more snap hooks hookingunder the storage opening of the pipette tip carrier, and the holdingelement thereby engaging the pipette tip carrier; after inserting the atleast one pipette into the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, andafter inserting the holding element of the transport tool into thestorage opening of the pipette tip carrier, moving the at least onepipette and thereby moving the pipette tip carrier, with the transporttool linking the at least one pipette and the pipette tip carrier. 8.The method according to claim 7, the method further comprising: aftersaid moving of the pipette tip carrier, disengaging the at least onepipette of the automated pipetting system from the plug-in sleeve of thetransport tool, and thereby also unlinking the at least one pipette fromthe pipette tip carrier.
 9. The method according to claim 7: wherein theat least one pipette of the automated pipetting system comprises a tipdiscarding mechanism, for ejecting disposable pipette tips from the atleast one pipette after use; the method further comprising the step of:after moving the pipette tip carrier by moving the at least one pipette,ejecting the transport tool from the at least one pipette using the tipdiscarding mechanism, wherein said ejecting of the transport toolcomprises disengaging the at least one pipette from the plug-in sleeveof the transport tool; wherein said ejecting the transport tool from theat least one pipette also functions to disengage the pipette tip carrierfrom the at least one pipette.
 10. A transport tool for transporting alaboratory article using a pipette of a pipetting system, the transporttool comprising: a plug-in sleeve at a top end of the transport tool; anarticle holder at a bottom end of the transport tool; and a connectingpart which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder; whereinthe transport tool is vertically elongated along a vertical axis;wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises a side sleeve wall and a bottom,wherein the side sleeve wall has an inner surface and an outer surface,and wherein the side sleeve wall and the bottom surround an interiorspace of the plug-in sleeve; wherein said interior space of the plug-insleeve has a shape selected from: cylindrical and conically tapering;wherein the plug-in sleeve comprises an upward-facing opening, theupward-facing opening being positioned to receive an end of a pipette ofan automated pipetting system into the interior space of the plug-insleeve; wherein the connecting part is positioned between the interiorspace of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder, and said top surfaceof the connecting part is located at a lower end of the plug-in sleeveopposite the upward-facing opening; and wherein the article holdercomprises an outer side and at least two holding elements which areoriented downward away from the connecting part, the at least twoholding elements being projections on the outer side of the articleholder and being shaped for insertion into and friction connection witha storage opening of a pipette tip carrier, wherein the transport toolcomprises at least one ventilation hole in the side wall of the plug-insleeve or in the connecting part.
 11. The transport tool of claim 10:wherein the side sleeve wall of the plug-in sleeve tapers towards theconnecting part, the interior space of the plug-in sleeve having a wideend and an end which is narrower than the wide end, wherein theupward-facing opening is at the wider end of the plug-in sleeve.
 12. Thetransport tool of claim 10: wherein the side sleeve wall of the plug-insleeve comprises a circumferential depression in the inner surfaceshaped for engagement with a complementary protrusion of the end of thepipette.
 13. The transport tool of claim 10: wherein exactly one articleholder is provided at the bottom end of the transport tool; and whereinsaid vertical axis of the transport tool passes through a center of theplug-in sleeve and a center of the exactly one article holder, with theplug-in sleeve being positioned directly above the article holder. 14.The transport tool of claim 10: wherein the transport tool, includingthe plug-in sleeve, the article holder, and the at least two holdingelements are collectively formed as a single piece of plastic.
 15. Amethod for transporting a pipette tip carrier using a pipette of anautomated pipetting system, the method comprising: providing a transporttool according to claim 10; providing a pipette tip carrier comprising astorage opening; providing an automated pipetting system comprising atleast one pipette; inserting the at least one pipette of the automatedpipetting system into the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, with theat least one pipette reversibly engaging the plug-in sleeve; insertingthe at least two holding elements of the transport tool into the storageopening of the pipette tip carrier, and the at least two holdingelements thereby engaging the pipette tip carrier; after said insertingof the at least one pipette into the plug-in sleeve of the transporttool, and after said inserting the at least two holding elements of thetransport tool into the storage opening of the pipette tip carrier:moving the at least one pipette and thereby moving the pipette tipcarrier, with the transport tool linking the at least one pipette andthe pipette tip carrier.
 16. The method according to claim 15, themethod further comprising: after said moving of the pipette tip carrier,disengaging the at least one pipette of the automated pipetting systemfrom the plug-in sleeve of the transport tool, and thereby alsounlinking the at least one pipette from the pipette tip carrier.
 17. Themethod according to claim 15, the method further comprising: aftermoving the pipette tip carrier, disengaging the at least two holdingelements of the transport tool from the storage opening of the pipettetip carrier.
 18. The method according to claim 15: wherein the at leastone pipette of the automated pipetting system comprises a tip discardingmechanism, for ejecting disposable pipette tips from the at least onepipette after use; the method further comprising the step of: aftermoving the pipette tip carrier by moving the at least one pipette,ejecting the transport tool from the at least one pipette using the tipdiscarding mechanism, wherein said ejecting of the transport toolcomprises disengaging the at least one pipette from the plug-in sleeveof the transport tool; wherein said ejecting the transport tool from theat least one pipette also functions to disengage the pipette tip carrierfrom the at least one pipette.